POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 22595, 12 March 1937, Page 11

POLICE COURT

FRIDAY, MARCH 12. (Before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) CHIMNEY FIRES. ' “ For permitting chimneys to catch fire, John Patrick Collins, John William Finch, and Mary Simpson were each lined 5s and costs; and Jane Bowles was convicted and discharged. CHARGE DISMISSED. When Frank Wheeler, a taxi driver, was charged with parking on an inter section, Constable Berry said that the defendant had been parked there for 10 minutes. He had smelt liquor on the defendant. _ , , , The defendant said that he had had only one shandy. He did not_ drink. The Magistrate said taxi drivers should not drink on duty. The defendant _ said that he had parked where he did because the street was filled with cars. The Magistrate dismissed the charge, subject to payment of court costs (10s). BREACH OF PROHIBITION ORDER. Charged with procuring liquor while prohibited, John Clutterbuck was fined 40s and costs. AFTER HOURS. ■ Arthur John Daniel Smith, IVilham Hill Stewart, and John Woodford admitted being on licensed premises after hours, and were each fined 10s and costs. —Smith was fined 10s and costs for procuring liquor while prohibited. — Martin O’Sullivan pleaded not guilty to being on the premises, stating that he was a boarder.—Fined 10s and costs. NO FISHING LICENSE. Lawrence Barwick was fined £2 and costs for fishing without a license. MOTORISTS CHARGED. Clifford John Garland, whose motor car collided with another vehicle at the corner of King and Frederick streets, was fined 20s and costs for failing to keep to the left of the road. A, taxi, driver, Thomas Adams (Mr .1. Warrington), whose car collided with another on the Main South road, admitted a charge of dangerous driving, and was fined £3 10s and costs. The conviction was ordered to be endorsed on his license. Stewart Fox, who pleaded guilty to driving a motor car without due care and attention, was fined 40s and costs. For passing a stationary tramcar George William UTen was fined 20s and Charged with being an unlicensed motor driver, Henry Eric Clark was fined 5s and costs, and on a similar charge Andrew M‘Houll was convicted and discharged. For exceeding a speed of 30 miles an hour Robert Day Robinson was fined £4 and costs. . Charged with negligently driving a motor vehicle, Christopher James Simpson (who was represented by Mr A. G. Neill) was fined 20s and costs. GIVEN A CHANCE. “ He is quite hopeless—a very unstable type,” said the probation officer (Mr J. Garbutt) concerning Arthur Francis Munton, who pleaded guilty to a charge of being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient means of support. • The accused called at the Public Hospital in the early hours of the morning of March 5 and requested admission, Chief-detective Young told the court. He had been a patient a few days previously, receiving treatment for excessive drinking. He was refused admission, and the police were informed. He told the police he had no money and no work to go to,' and he was then arrested on the present charge. The accused was 34 years of age, the Chief-detective proceeded, and was married with two children, who were in the custody of his wife in Christchurch. The accused had been working jn the Taranaki district last year, and

came south. He sold a bicycle for £3 after coming here, and he said he had it on hire-purchase from New Plymouth. While he had the money he apparently went on a drinking bout and spent all this money. Mr C. A. Hamer, who appeared for the accused, said that there were some unfortunate features concerning this man. The accused first called at the North Dunedin Police Station, where he was refused admission, and he then came to the police station here at 4.30 a.in. and was taken in out of kindness. He was definitely a sick man. His failing was drinking, for which he had suffered tremendously. He had been released from an institution last winter with-‘only 2s>6d in his pocket. Since his separation from his wife he had gone down hill, but he was convinced ha could rehabilitate himself.

The Chief Detective said the police had received a telephone message from a hospital porter that he had had to turn this man out. The Probation Officer said that the accused had been on probation and was ultimately discharged. - _ The Magistrate said that if the man had been In an institution for two and a-half years he had no desire to send him to gaol on an idle and disorderly charge. * The case was stood down to ascertain if work could be found for the accused. When it was called later in the morning Mr Garbutt said that a place had been found for the accused in the Taieri district.

Chief-detective Young said that he did not wish to bring the accused before the court again, so proposed to lay the information in respect of false pretence, Munton was then charged that on February 23, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Christina M‘Rae the sum of £3 in money by falsely representing that a bicycle was his own unencumbered property.

The accused pleaded guiltj’ to this charge. On the suggestion of the magistrate, the idle and disorderly charge was withdrawn, and His Worship said that, in view of the accused’s history, he would adopt the course of adjourning the other matter for 12 months on condition that, restitution (£3) was made in the meantime. Mr Hamer asked for an order for suppression of the name, His Worship replying that he had rio power to make such an order. HOTEL LICENSEE CHARGED. Five breaches of the Licensing Act were denied by Albert Thomas Ross, the licensee of the Henley Hotel. He was charged on two counts of supplying liquor to persons under 21 years of age, selling liquor after hours, exposing liquor for sale after hours, and keeping the hotel open after hours. Ross was represented by Mr A.C. Hanlon, K.C. Senior-sergeant Packer prosecuted, and said that on January 16 six young men visited the Henley Hotel, travelling by motor car from Milton. When questioned about the visit later by Sergeant Boulton, the defendant said that he alone'had the keys to the bar, and he had not seen the five visitors. Ross, however, must be held responsible for the serving of any liquor. A party consisting of himself and five others went by car to Henley from Milton, said Albert Ashmore Anderton, a farm labourer, in evidence. Witness drove the car, the party returning to Milton with three bottles of beer after staying at Henley for over a quarter of an hour. He did not leave the car, and did not know from where the liquor was obtained.

One of the party that went to Henley, James Henry Russell (19), said that everyone except Anderton went into the hotel and ordered drinks. A bottle of beef was taken away from the hotel by witness, who said he could not say who supplied him with liquor. It was not the licensee.

James fjtewart, who also visited the hotel, admitted having three drinks, and said he did not see the defendant, his wife, or the barman. Ho had consumed the drinks in the dining room.

William Leonard Bain,- another member of the party to visit the hotel, said they had gone into a front room, but they had not secured permission to do so. He did not know the licensee, the barman, or the licensee's wife, and he had had four drinks. He did not know who had supplied the drinks. (Proceeding.)